Reason to Believe
by Muse-at-dawn
Summary: Katherine never felt anything for Damon. Elena hated him. And maybe because of that lack of indifference is that Damon can still hope. Vignette. Delena. Set after "The Return" 2x01


**Disclaimer: Nothing is mine, except this story.**

**Claim: Damon/Elena. Mentions of Damon/Katherine and Stefan/Elena.**

**Warnings: Spoilers for 2x01 "The Return." **

**Summary: **_Katherine never felt anything for Damon. Elena hated him. And maybe because of that lack of indifference is that Damon can still hope._

**I paraphrased Katherine because I liked her words: "Oh, you hate me? That sounds like the beginning of a love story, not the end of one."**

* * *

_Hate me today, hate me tomorrow, hate me so you can finally see what's good for you._

_"Hate Me" - Blue October._

**Reason to believe.**

He almost wished he hadn't asked. Almost being the key word. In a way, despite the pain it brought it was better having that answer he had known ever since he realized Katherine had never been in that tomb. He almost wished he hadn't killed Jeremy. But he couldn't helped it, all that pain he had kept inside for so many years had finally found a release and there was no way to stop it.

It hurt so bad that it was necessary for him to let the other know how he felt.

Katherine's words hurt, of course, after everything he had done to be with her it was hard to deal with the pain of being only a pawn on her chess. And yet, Elena's words had hurt even more. Was she really that blind? Could she really ignore what was going on between them making it pass simply as 'friendship'?

No, it wasn't friendship, Damon was sure of it. His arms still longed her contact, he remembered Elena dancing in his arms and how good that felt. He remembered every single detail of her ever since he met her, when he went to her bedroom and watched her asleep, then his feelings were still confused, now they weren't. Somewhere along the way he had fallen for her and, deep down, he was sure she felt it too and it was just so frustrating to have her believing that she simply 'cared' for him.

The feeling of Elena's lips still lingered on his, erasing the kisses Katherine had left earlier that night. Damon wondered if he had really expected any other answer from her, maybe he expected Katherine to lie, like she always did. Somehow it was good confirming that he was perfectly indifferent to her, even if he his pride was wounded, it was great news, at least then he could let go of whatever it was he still felt towards her.

Stefan wasn't around which meant he was at Elena's. Damon felt the sudden attack of the ruthless green-eyed monster and his fingers closed tighter around the glass he was currently holding until it broke. Stefan, always Stefan, they both would choose him, they both had made it perfectly clear that night.

_'I love Stefan.'_

Damon had heard those words so many times before that he wondered whether he should still believe them. No, maybe he shouldn't. In Katherine's lips said words could be considered a never-ending obession that started so many years ago, but Katherine was a crazy, evil and obsessed bitch who'd always get what she wanted. And he, Damon, didn't mean anything to her. Elena, on the other hand, couldn't be that indifferent towards him, he was sure, after all, he did kill her little brother.

Maybe Elena would love him someday. Maybe she'd finally accept that whatever went on between them was stronger than she wanted to believe. Maybe, if he took the risk of believing, like he had done before. Somehow, he was sure that if he did now, he wouldn't be let down.

_'I hate him, Stefan.' _

He wasn't there and yet he was certain that Elena would say that to her boyfriend. She hated him, not the best feeling ever but it meant something. It meant he was important enough for her to feel something as strong as hatred. At least she wasn't indifferent towards him.

"Elena."

Her name on his lips felt like the bliss he's never had because of all the innocent blood on his hands. Like his only chance of repentance, and he hoped she could see that too. A small, sad smile appeared on his face as he brought the liquour to his lips. For all Damon knew, hate was not the end of the love story, but rather, its beginning.


End file.
